This past year, it seemed like just about every week there was a new headline about some serious privacy breach, intentional or otherwise, occurring at a major organization. With the increasing popularity of technologies, from genetic testing to health tracking apps and electronic payment services, we're putting more of our important personal information online, and we have less and less understanding of what's being done with that information or how to keep it safe. Here are a few important takeaways from the year in digital privacy, and a few things you can do to make your information safer this year.
Your privacy is up to you:
Don't expect even "good" companies to be looking out for your privacy. When you sign up for a new service, do your best to review the privacy policy. Especially look for whether your information can be shared with advertisers or third parties, and whether there is a way to opt out. Check the security settings right away and change them to suit your needs and comfort level.
There are no guarantees:
There are many things you can do to protect yourself online. But if recent cases have anything to teach us, it's that there is no absolute guarantee that your information will not be shared or hacked. Like your mother taught you, if you really want to keep something private, then don't share it.
There are things you can do:
All the bad news coupled with the fact that we are so connected to and dependent on our devices might make you start to believe that your information will never be safe, no matter what you do. But that's a mistake. Even though you can never be 100 percent certain your privacy won't be compromised, there are many things you can do to protect yourself and, at the very least, make it much more difficult for someone to access your information. When it comes to your bank accounts, health records, and other sensitive data, taking steps to protect yourself is totally doable and totally worth it.
So now that you know it's up to you, here are a few steps you can take to protect yourself online:
- Switch your browser: The service you use to hook into the internet can help to protect you against companies or scammers attempting to access your data. Epic, Tor and Brave are all at the top of the list when it comes to user privacy. Firefox is another user-friendly option that offers consumers plenty of privacy control options.
- Get a password manager: If you're like most people, you suck at passwords. But you can stop thinking about them if you just get a password manager to create complex passwords for you you only need to remember one.
- Install updates: You know those pesky little windows that pop up and remind you to update your system while you're trying to get something done? Stop ignoring them. System updates often provide increased security and protect against ever-evolving cyber threats.
Don't leave your online privacy up to chance. Take steps to protect yourself and keep your information safe.
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